Disney to open Shanghai theme park in June

Disney’s long-awaited theme park in China’s Shanghai will open on June 16. The company announced on Jan 12 that the 5.5 billion dollar facility will feature everything from an Enchanted Storybook Castle, which is the tallest in any Disney park, to a “Toy Story”, which is a themed hotel and a theater with a Chinese-language production of the Broadway hit “The Lion King.” Disney also said the park will reflect China’s own culture.

The Shanghai park broke ground in 2011. It is a joint venture between Disney and China’s state-backed Shanghai Shendi Group, with the US firm owning a 70 percent stake in the management company. Experts say the theme park could contribute over 3 billion dollars to Shanghai’s economy every year and account for one percent of the city’s annual gross domestic product.